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Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in AD
Valenzuela MJ, Sachdev P.. Neurology, 2001-03-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Proton MR spectroscopy (MRS) studies have found both decreased N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and increased myo-inositol in the occipital, temporal, parietal, and frontal regions of patients with AD, even at the early stages of the disease. This diffuse NAA decline is independent of regional atrophy and probably reflects a decrease in neurocellular viability. Reports of such metabolite changes are now emerging in the mild cognitive impairment prodrome and in investigation of the medial temporal lobe. In vivo quantitation of neural choline in AD has been inconclusive because of poor test-retest repeatability. Less robust evidence using phosphorous MRS has shown significant phosphocreatine decline and increments in the cell membrane phosphomonoesters in the early, and possibly asymptomatic, stages of the disease. These phosphorous metabolite disturbances normalize with disease progression. Phosphodiester concentration has been found to correlate strongly with AD plaque counts. MRS of AD has therefore introduced new pathophysiologic speculations. Studies of automated MRS for AD diagnosis have reported high sensitivity and moderate specificity, but are yet to test prospective samples and should be extended to include at least two MRS regions of interest. MRS has promise for predicting cognitive status and monitoring pharmacologic efficacy, and can assess cortical and subcortical neurochemical change.
Key findings
- Less robust evidence using phosphorous MRS has shown significant phosphocreatine decline and increments in the cell membrane phosphomonoesters in the early, and possibly asymptomatic, stages of the disease.
Why it matters
This review describes magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings such as decreased NAA and increased myo-inositol in Alzheimer's disease, even at early stages. It discusses the technique's promise for diagnosis and monitoring treatment, but reports no treatment or cure.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2001 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 256 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.5 citations a year over 27 year(s) since 2001 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 14.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 10 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Perminder Singh Sachdev: h-index 147 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | UNSW Sydney: institution h-index 1,101 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 11261442) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Valenzuela, M. J., & Sachdev, P. (2001). Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in AD. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.56.5.592
Vancouver
Valenzuela MJ, Sachdev P. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in AD. Neurology. 2001. doi:10.1212/wnl.56.5.592. PMID: 11261442.
BibTeX
@article{valenzuela2001-11261442,
author = {Valenzuela, M. J. and Sachdev, P.},
title = {{Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in AD}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2001},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.56.5.592},
pmid = {11261442},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.56.5.592}
}
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